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Little Next Door’s peach Country Crouton

Though we’re nearing the end of summer, it doesn’t mean summer menus are done just yet. French brasserie Little Next Door on West Third Street is still serving peaches, corn, eggplant and other warm-weather foods on its current dinner menu.

Here are my favorite dishes from Little Next Door’s summer menu.

The Country Crouton with burrata cheese, white balsamic vinegar, grilled peaches and candied walnuts on crusty bread. The delicate smoothness of the burrata and peaches pairs nicely with the tangy balsamic and crunchy nuts.

The Summer Ravioli made with corn pudding, chanterelle mushrooms, chive blossoms and butter nage is summer personified. Sure, you can find a corn ravioli on lots of summer menus across Los Angeles, but that’s because corn is delicious and should be consumed whenever possible, especially when it’s in season.

Summer corn ravioli

Spring for the classic Steak Frites, a large portion of marinated skirt steak with a green peppercorn reduction and shoestring French fries on the side.

Steak Frites

For dessert, I’d recommend two options: the lemon tart if you want something light, and the chocolate and salted caramel pot de creme if you want something rich.

Macarons, lemon tarts and pot de cremes

Summer ends in just a couple of weeks, so head over to the Little Next Door before fall arrives, when stone fruit and corn are nowhere to be found only to be replaced by sadness. (That’s not true; I love persimmons and Brussels sprouts!)

Note: This meal was hosted.

Burrata and peaches at Wood & Vine

Hollywood’s Wood and Vine has gone through a few changes over the years, but the restaurant’s new summer menu from Chef Marc Johnson might be its best yet.

With a sharing-plates concept, you can try many dishes at Wood and Vine — a good thing, considering the high quality of each.

Start with the burrata and peaches (pictured above) served with prosciutto crisps and micro basil. I love stone fruit, so summer is always exciting for me, and the peaches in this dish pair well with the smooth cheese and crunchy ham.

Move on to the braised bacon with fried grits, cheddar, pickled ramps and jalapeno. The pork belly is super tender, and the fried grit balls topped with the pickled veg are an interesting way to get a creamy sourness in as an accompaniment.

Braised bacon

For your pasta course, get the basil capellini. The basil-flavored pasta topped with charred cherry tomatoes, proscuitto, mushroom, preserved lemon and duck egg yolk is somehow light and substantial at the same time. My favorite part is the lemon.

Basil cappelini

The striped bass comes on top of an interesting concoction of nduja (spreadable salami), peaches and cauliflower, and is topped with fresh peppercress. The fish is perfectly cooked with delightfully crispy skin, and its lightness paired with the flavorful meat combo is a pleasant complement.

Striped bass

For dessert, get the butterscotch pot de creme. No question. Its sweet-and-salty combination makes me happy.

Butterscotch pot de creme

Don’t forget the cocktails! Wood and Vine’s bar manager Justin Stidham’s summer drink menu includes some good ones. The Black Star, with House Spirits rum, Giffard Banane (banana liqueur), housemade orgeat, Angostura bitters, fresh pineapple and lime, is summer in a glass served over crushed ice. And the Street Spirit, with its slightly sour combo of Buffalo Trace bourbon, fresh lemon juice, strawberry balsamic shrub, sherry, ginger beer and lemon peel, might not be for everyone, but it is certainly for me.

Black Star

Street Spirit

Note: This meal was hosted.